RTK Surveyor(Full kit) Not Seeing Any Satellites

GPS/GNSS Development Boards
1

SKU: GPS-17370

Product Name: SparkFun RTK Surveying Kit

UPC: 845156011780

I just received and began testing the RTK Surveyor and am unable to achieve a position fix, or even a single satellite. I charged the units internal battery, connected the supplied antenna (TOP106) to a tripod, and connected the antenna to the Surveyor. I set the switch to ‘Base’ mode and powered the unit. After not receiving a solid LED(BASE) indicating a successful survey-in in over 15 minutes, I connected the Surveyor to my laptop via USB-C (Config Ublox) The position of the antenna was ~5ft off the ground and in a position I have, regularly in the past, achieved a position-fix with the lesser neo-m8p. uCenter showed that the module was seeing no satellites. I repeated the above but in ‘Rover’ mode, but still could not get a single satellite. I’m not sure if I have a defective Surveyor or Antenna or Antenna Cable, or if it’s something else entirely. Any assistance in the matter would be really appreciated. Thanks in advance!

2

Good job connecting U-Center to the unit. If U-Center is communicating with the ZED F9P that’s a good sign. Sounds like you have good sky visibility in your location.

It sounds like your problem might be simple - like the antenna cable you mentioned. Do you have a tester to check the continuity of the cable? Are the cable ends securely attached to the antenna and the RTK Surveyor? Perhaps the antenna is bad there’s a cable inside the Surveyor that’s disconnected…but someone from SparkFun would be better to talk you through that.

3

Thank you for the suggestion, it appears the antenna cables signal-pin and ground/shielding are shorted (<1ohm measured). A shorted cable would certainly create the problems I’m having. I will get a replacement, but I’m confident this is the issue. Thank you again!